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8 Décor Trends That Are Better in Theory

It's always tempting to try the latest décor trend blowing up on Instagram or Pinterest. From the Pantone color of the year to the minimalism movement, there is no shortage of new decorating ideas to test out in our homes. That said, as we've learned with the proliferation of #PinterestFails, there is no shortage of recipes, DIY attempts, or decorating projects that didn't turn out quite as anticipated.

To help you learn from other people's mistakes (instead of your own), we turned to our Instagram followers and asked them to share the decorating trend they tried that turned out to be better in theory than in practice. Should you paint your walls white, hang a gallery wall, or layer your rugs? Scroll through to find out—we listed our favorite decorating mistakes along with easy fixes for each one.

@ghislainepitt

Painting the lower half of the wall a darker color—you'll add visual interest, hide the doggy scuff marks, and still have that light and airy feeling on the upper half of the wall. It's what we call a win-win-win.

@sarachamberscreative

"Minimalism is something I'm often drawn to on Pinterest, but I can never really make it work in my home because I can't bring myself to rid my house of family pictures and my extensive book collection."

Instead, try:

Lots of closed storage for all the extra clutter. This console from Blu Dot is minimal in style, so you can have your cake and eat it too.

@beautiful_struggl3

"Turning all my books with the spine inward on my bookshelf so that it has that monochromatic, minimalistic feel. It didn't look as good as the photos, and my father asks me every time he visits why they're turned that way and how do I find my books."

Instead, try:

Books with beautiful spines, like the Penguin Classics from Juniper Books. As for your less-attractive books, there's always closed storage. Or, if you want a true minimal look, swap to a Kindle.

@devshrop

A single large piece of artwork that can fill up your blank wall space. It might seem like a higher investment at first, but unless you are a seasoned gallerist, the result will likely be much more impactful and elegant.

@fashionmaven85

"I tried to replicate the feeling of a green Kelly Wearstler library in my office and ended up with a pea green room I hate. I still haven't repainted yet."

Instead, try:

A more muted green that will both act as a neutral and feel more timeless. Remember: Paint colors always look brighter on the wall than on the paint swatch, so always go for a more grayed-out version of what you actually want.